Sliding connection between relatively movable members



Aug. 18, 1942. E A, sCHlGUT 2,293,364

sLIDINGcoNNEcTIoN BETWEEN EELATIVELY Mos/AELE MEMBERS Filed April s, 1941 /S 26 mm l 32 v7V/. A. 5CH/GUT [il d )287 /NVENTOR 20 BYM-w /22 E. was., ff' Am Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SLIDING CONNECTION BETWEEN RELA' TIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS Emil A. Schigut, Van Nuys, Calif.

Application April-.8, 1941, Serial No. 387,384

Claims. (Cl. 311-71) This invention relates tometallic connections between pairs of relatively slidable members, its objects being to minimize friction-prevent binding or locking of said connections due to absorption of moisture and its consequent warping and to simplify and cheapen said connections. These connections are adapted for useA inl various kinds of devices, being especially applicable to extension tables, cabinets containing heavy' drawers, and to similar structures. In the accompanying drawing, I have chosen to show them applied to extension tables, two modified forms ci table being illustrated.

In the said drawing, Fig. l is a-longitudinal section taken vertically through my preferred type of extension table, as on line I-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 shows the same structure as Fig. 1 except that the table top is extended; Fig'. 3` is a trans Verse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section, similar to Fig. 1 but showing another type of table; Fig. 5 shows the same structure as Fig. 4 with the table extended and extra leaves in place, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, thrcugh one of the sliding` connections, as on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. i Referring first to Figs. l, 2 and' 3, the numeral I0 represents generally the table frame, the same comprising legs II, and frame members I2, said members and legs being rigidly secured together in any suitable way. Above the frame I!! and spaced slightly therefrom is the extensibletable top which, when closed or unextended, comprises the members I3 and I4 which lie in the same plane and substantially abut at I5. These members are mounted to slide on the frame but, as stated, are spaced slightly therefrom so that they will not scrape on the frame when they are moved to their extended positions, as in Fig. 2. For clear illustration of the connections between the top members and the frame, the space between the frame and top is shown exaggerated. All the space needed is a slight clearance to avoid actual contact. When the members are extended, the space between them may be lled with extra leaves I6 which, when not in use, may be stored beneath the top of the table between members I'I which extend from the end members I2 and rise substantially to the plane of the lower surface .of the table top, thus to prevent the extra leaves from sagging.

The sliding connections are between the table frame and the top members I3 and I4. As best seen in Fig. 6, each connection comprises two interfitting elements I8 and I9. The element I8 has a lower portionwhich lies fiat against the 5;

adjacent frame member IZ'and to which itis se'- cured, as by screws 20. At 2|, the: element is turned inwardly at substantially a rightV angle and its inward part is curved upwardlyand outwardly to form a hollow cylinderr or tube 22. Lengthwise, the element extends from the leg II inwardly substantially' te the` central vertical plane of the frame, or half Way to the opposite leg', as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. A similar element l8r, in line with the element I8; extends from the opposite leg' and' almost abuts the inner end of element I8. The curved part 22 does not form a complete tube; but leaves a narrow slot23 .at f

one side. The elements I9 an'd ISav are'secured` to the under sides of the table top members I3 and I4 respectively. Asl seen in Fig. 3, the top member I3V is provided witha connection with elements I 8b and ISb like the elements I8 and I9 except that the curves are turned to the left instead of the right. It is understood" that a view like Fig. 3 taken through the top member I4 wouldshow another connection like4 that having the elements lBb. There are, therefore, four connections present in the table, two of which are attached to the member I3 and two attached to member I4.

Again referring to Fig. 6, the elementV I9` has a portion which lies iiat against the lower side of the top member I3 to which it is suitably secured, as by screws 24. At 25', the element turns downwardly and, at 26, it turns to the right and through the slot 23 of the tubular portion of element I8. Within this tubular portion, the element I9 is of tubular formation, as shown at 21. The external diameter of the tube 2'I is slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube 22 to afford a free sliding fit betwen the tubes.

The elements of all the connections are made of relatively thin sheet metal, such as steel. The screws or other attaching means 20 or 24 are spaced some distance apart t0 permit any deformation due to warping or other stresses to take place in the metal between the screws without affecting the coaxial relation of the tubular parts f of the elements. Naturally, these tubular parts are strongly resistant to distortion and, as long as they are not distorted, free sliding motion is assured.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the element I9 is so positioned under the top member I3 as to abut against the leg II when the table is extended, thus to form a stop for the top member. Without this engagement, the top member might be pulled entirely away from the table. It is, of course, understood that all the other elements,

I9, etc. are similarly positioned with respect to the legs.

In that type of tablewhich is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the table frame is made in halves which may be closed together, as in Fig. 4, or pulled apart, as in Fig 5. Each half has a pair of legs, v

although but a single leg of each pair is shown. The legs of the right-hand half is designated 33 and those on the left-half is marked 3l.. Each half of the frame is provided with members 32 and 33 to stiffen and ornament the frame. The member 33 is divided at 34 which is substantially midway between the legs and 3|. When the frame halves are closed, this member closes at 34. Attached rigidly to the top of the righthand half of the frame is the end member 35 of the table top, and a similar member 36, is rigidly attached to the top of the other half. `These members are in the same horizontal plane and abut at their inner edges above the point 34 when the l table is closed. When the table is extended, as in Fig. 5, space is provided for the insertion of extra leaves 31.

Attached to one of the frame halves is a connecting element 38. As shown, it is fixed, as by screws 39 to the frame member 33 of the righthand half, and projects inwardly from the leg 38 almost to the opposite leg 3| when the table is closed. The element 38 corresponds in shape and function to the element I8 of Fig. 6 and requires no special illustration or description.

'Io the under side of that table top member which is on the opposite end of the table from the xed end of the element 33, is the cooperating element 43 of the sliding connection. That is to say, if the element 38 be fixed beneath top member 35, the element 43 is fixed to top member 36. When the table is extended, as in Fig. 5, the element 4D still projects a substantial distance into the tubular part of the element 38. As in the form first described, the element 43 has a tubular part for entering into and sliding within the tubular part of element 38.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a structure of the character described, the combination of a frame member and a second member which is spaced from and is slidable with respect to the frame member, connections between said members, said connections comprising a metallic strip attached near one of its longitudinal edges to a surface of the frame member, then bent at substantially a right angle and then bent back towards said surface to form an open slide-way, a complementary metallic strip attached near one of its longitudinal edges to the second member and having a bend away from said second member to extend into the space between the members and then having a second bend toward the open slide-away of the first mentioned strip, the longitudinal edge of the complementary strip attaching said strips to the respective members, the angular construction of the strips assuring that any distortion of the strips due to the screws will be arrested by the bends in the strips and the slide-ways thereon will remain undistorted.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, in which the slideways on the strips are tubular in cross section.

3. An extension table having a frame with legs thereon and a top which is spaced from and is slidable with respect to the frame, connections between said frame and top, said connections comprising a metallic strip attached near one of its longitudinal edges to a surface of the frame, then bent at substantially a right angle and then backwards towards said surface to form an open slideway, a complementary metallic strip attached near one of its longitudinal edges to the top member and having a bend away from said top to extend into the space between the frame and top and then having a second bend toward the open slideway of the rst mentioned strip, the longitudinal edge of the complementary strip being formed to t into said open slideway of the other strip, and screws attaching the said strips to the respective frame and top, the angular construction of the strip assuring that any distortion of the strips due to the screws will be arrested by the bends in the strip and the slideways thereon will remain undistorted.

4. An extension table as set forth in claim 3 in which the slideways on the strips are tubular in cross-section,

5. An extension table as set forth in claim 3 in which the metallic 1strip which is attached to the top is in a plane that includes the legs of the table so that said legs serve as a stop for arresting the top when it is extended.

EMIL A. SCHIGUT. 

